Car-ventilator.



No. 664,I l2. Patented Dec. l8, I900.

w. E. ANDREW.

CAR VENTILATOR.

(Application filed Mar. 24, 1900.!

(No Modal.)

witugohai Eva. m

TH: "dams ETERS 00 PHoro-uT Hu WASHINGTON o. c.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CAR-VEINTILATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,112, dated December 18, 1900. Application filed March 24, 1900. serial Nol0,033i (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ANDREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic Highlands, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Ventilation; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-ventilators.

The object is in a ready and certain manner to effect thorough ventilation of a railway-car and its compartments.

With this object in view the invention consists generally in generating and utilizing a direct and an induced draft to remove foul air from a car.

The invention consists specifically in the novel construction and combination of parts,

of apparatus for accomplishing this result.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated 'a form of embodiment of my invention, although it is to be understood that other forms of embodiment thereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of the same, and in these drawings- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation displaying a face-plate positioned in a car and exhibiting the mechanism for operating and indicating the positions of the various parts of the apparatus and for locking the same when adjusted. Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section, showing the manner of arrangement and the means for operating the various parts of the apparatus; and Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, and lookingtoward the front of the apparatus, showing more particularly the mechanism for operating the slides or draft-regulators that control the passage of air.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an open-Work face-plate which may be situated at any proper place in a car, in this instance on the side of the upper portion of the dome above the deck, the plate to be ornamented in any desired manner and to be of any suitable material. Arranged back of and abutting against or secured to this plate is a chamber B, constituting a vacuum-chamber, the same being in this instance circular in cross-section, although it may be other than circular, and funnel-shaped in elevation,

with its mouth adjacent to the plate A. The

chamber B in the embodiment herein shown extends without the car and has either mounted adjacent thereto or secured to it at its outer end two rectangular box-like casings b, in which are housed the slides or draft-regulators b for controlling the passage of air through the chamber B. As shown, the cas ings 1) project laterally from diametrically opposite sides of the chamber B and beyond the plane of the inner walls of the said chamber by which arrangement the presentation of an obstruction to the passage of air through the chamber will be entirely obviated. The slides are mounted for movement independent of each other, and each is moved through the'agency of a linkb rigidly secured to a rod 5*, extending out through the face-plate A and carrying an indicating-hand or pointer 19 by which the rod may be turned, suitable visual indicators, as the letters O and 0, (design ating,respectively,closed and opened,) being employed to afford ready means for determining the position of the slides. The free end of each link carries a pin b which works in a curved slot 6 and by this simple arrangement of mechanism the slides may be moved back and forth at will to open or close the passage of air through the chamber 13..

By arranging the slides at the rear end of the chamber B and entirely out of the line of draft a greater suction or vacuum is obtained' through the chamber, as the entire area of the same will be unobstructed by bars, slats, or the like, which would be necessary if the ordinary register were used, the center of the face-plate opposite the chamber being practically open and unobstructed, except by the cross-bars b the function of which will presently appear.

The presentation of a free and uninterrupted passage for the air through the vacuumchamber is a very important feature and is an essential to the proper working of the device, as the smaller the obstruction to. .the passage of air the greater will be the power of the vacuum generated to do effective work.

Arranged back of the vacuum-chamber B is a suction or induced-draft flue O, the same being of sufiicient length to extend laterally beyond the perimeter of the discharge-mouth of the chamber B, that portion of the flue opposite this mouth being cut away to provide a circular opening, forming, in connection with the chamber B, a continuous passage for air through the interior of the car outward through the said flue. The ends of the flue are adapted to'be closed by doors 0, comprising each a funnel constituting a draft-director, the mouth of the funnel being bent to present a circumferential flange 0 adapted when a door is closed, as shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 2, to bear against an end of the draft-flue C, and thereby prevent passage of air through the flue except through the funnel c. In order that the funnel when open may be as far removed from the line of draft as possible, I have in this instance bent the lower edge of the draft-flue downward to present a flange 0 to which the lower edge of the funnel is hinged, and by this arrangement I accomplish the object sought. The funnels are connected by a rod 0 at the center of which is arranged a bearing 0 in which works a pin a, carried by a link 0 the link being rigidly secured to one end of a rod 0 the other end of which projects beyond the plate A and carries an indicator device 0 the same comprising a disk provided with two arrows 0 arranged at right angles to each other. The connection of the link with the rod c is such that when one draft-director or funnel c is opened the other will be closed, and vice versa, so that by observing the direction in which the heads of the arrows 0 point it may readily be ascertained which of the draft-directors is open and which closed. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the employment of the arrows for indicating the respective positions of the draft-directors, as these may be omitted under some conditions without interfering with the proper operation of the device. I have found in practice that the draft-directors will automatically change position when the direction of movement of the car is changed, so that under all conditionsin use thedraft-director that accomplishes the work will always occupy the proper position with relation to the operative parts of the device.

Arranged within the draft-flue O, preferably concentric therewith, and held rigid by braces dis a flue D, which from its function is designated as a forced-draft flue or ejector, the ends of which are flared outward and by preference are reinforced at their edges, as at (1 to present a stable structure. The flared portions of this flue D are engaged by the small ends of the funnel c, the perimeters of these ends being by preference also reinforced, as at o for the double purpose of strengthening these parts of the funnels and of presenting gaskets which will fit tightly within the flared portions of the draft-line, and thereby prevent any air entering through the line except that which passes through one or the other funnels c. The line spans or bridges the discharge-mouth of the suctionchamber to prevent back draft drawing dirt, cinders, or moisture into the chamber B, and thus into the car. The draft-flue C is inclosed by an open-ended draft-flue E, which is of greater length than the flue C and occupies a position just above the deck of the car. The ends of the flue E are here shown as straight; but it is to be understood that they may be flared, and as this will be obvious illustration is deemed unnecessary.

I have found that the employment of the flue E is not absolutely essential for the proper operation of the device under all conditions, as it may be omitted and merely the suction or induced-draft flue C and the forced-draft line D, with their attending mechanism, be employed.

The operation of the invention is as follows: If the car is to be drawn in the direction of the large arrow shown in Fig. 2, the draftdirector at the right-hand side of the device will be closed, as shown in this latter figure. When the car is in motion, the air by being compressed by the converging walls of the funnel will be projected with great force through the flue D, thereby causing a forced draft, the power of which will be suflicient to drive the air through the flue D and on out through the opposite end beyond the end of the flue 0, thereby preventing any back draft which would tend to draw impurities into the car, it being understood that the slides or draftregulators b are open. This forced draft sets up an induced draft in the line C, which latter draft will also be augmented by the passage of the air through the flue E, so that the foul air will be drawn out through the car in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, and so on without the chamber E. In some instances it may be desired to reduce the force of exhaust, as in cold weather, when too much external air is objectionable, and to effect this result I provide a spring-pressed trigger or catch b carried by one of the cross-bars b the latter also serving as a support for the rod 0 and this catch is adapted .to engage with the notch in the tail of either of the arrows 0 and thereby prevent the draft-director from closing up tightly in the forced -draft flue D, so that there will be less force to the draft passing through this flue, and consequently less vacuum in the chamber B.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A ventilating apparatus comprising a draft-flue in communication with the space to be ventilated, a forced-draft flue arranged within the draft-flue, and automatically-actuated draft-directors alternately operating to open and to close the respective ends of the draft flue and to direct a current of air through the forced-draft flue, substantially as described.

2. A ventilating apparatus comprising a draft-flue in communication with the space to be ventilated, a forced-draft flue arranged within the draft-flue, a draft'director comprising a funnel-shaped door at each end of the draft-flue, and means for operating the said doors, thereby alternately to open and to close the ends of the draft-flue and to direct a current of air through the forced-draft flue, substantially as described.

3. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the induced-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, and a draftdirector comprisinga funnel arranged at each end of the suction or induced-draft flue and operating alternately to direct a current of air through the forced-draft flue and to prevent passage of external air through the induced-draft flue, substantially as described.

4. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained Within the ind need-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, and funnels, constituting draft directors, adapted alternately to be moved into engagement with the forced-draft flue, to direct a current of air therethrough, substantially as described.

5. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the induced-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, and funnels, constituting draft-directors, secured to the ends of the suction orinduced-draft flue, substantially as described.

6. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the ind need-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, movable funnels, constituting draft-directors, secured to the ends of the suction or induced-draft flue, and means arranged exteriorly of the vacuumchamberand connected,through intermediate mechanism, with the draft-directors, thereby both to operate and to indicate the positions of the draft-directors, substantially as described.

7. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the induced-d raft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, movable funnels, constituting draft-directors, secured to the ends of the suction or induced-draft flue, means arranged exteriorly of the vacuumchamber and connected, through intermediate mechanism, with the draft-directors, thereby both to operate and to indicate the positions of the draft-directors, and means for regulating the draft through the vacuumchamber, substantially as described.

8. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the induced-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, movable funnels, constituting draft-directors, secured to the ends of the suction or induced-draft flue, means arranged exteriorly of the vacuumchamber and connected, through intermediate mechanism, with the draft-directors, thereby both to operate and to indicate the positionsof the draft-directors, and laterallymovable slides, constituting draft-regulators, adapted to close passage through the vacuu mchainber, substantially as described.

9. A ventilating apparatus comprising a vacuum-chamber, a suction or induced-draft flue, a forced-draft flue contained within the induced-draft flue and bridging the dischargemouth of the vacuum-chamber, movable funnels, constituting draft-directors, secured to the ends of the suction or induced-draft flue, means arranged exteriorly of the vacuumchamber and connected, through intermediate mechanism, with the draft-directors, thereby both to operate and to indicate the positions of the draftdirectors, laterallyr'novable slides, constituting draft-regulators, adapted to close passage through the vacuumchamber, rods carrying links at one end to engage with the draft-regulators and, at the other end, arms or pointers, said pointers serving as visual indicators to indicate the position of the regulators or slides, substantially as described.

10. A ventilating apparatus comprising a draft-flue, an induced-draft flue, a forceddraft flue, a vacuum-chamber, the induceddraft flue being provided with funnel-shaped doors, and devices for connecting and operating the doors, and, at the same time, indicating their position within a car, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a railway-car, of a ventilating device comprising a draft-flue arranged externally of thecar, an induced-- draft flue arranged within the first-named flue, a forced-draft flue arranged within the induced-draft flue, a vacuum-chamber communicating with the induced-draft flue and with the car, connected funnel-shaped doors mounted for movement to and from the induced-draft flue, a rod operatively connected at one end with the operating mechanism of the doors, and at its other end extending into the car, and a combined indicating and operating device, in the nature of an arrow, secured to the said rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. ANDREW.

Witnesses:

E. T. BRANDENBURG, R. M. ELLIOTT. 

